Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor section, a combustor, and a turbine section, arranged in flow series with an upstream inlet and a downstream exhaust. Initially, air flows through the compressor section where it is compressed or pressurized. The combustor then mixes and ignites the compressed air with fuel, generating hot combustion gases. These hot combustion gases are then directed from the combustor to the turbine section where power is extracted from the hot gases by causing blades of the turbine to rotate.
Gas turbine engines may include one or more spools. For example, small-scale engines may generally use a one-spool design with co-rotating compressor and turbine sections, while larger-scale engines may generally comprise a number of coaxially nested spools. The multiple spools may operate at different pressures, temperatures, spool speeds, and directions. For instance, two-spool designs may include a high pressure spool (or high spool) and a low pressure spool (or low spool). The high pressure spool may include a high pressure turbine driving a high pressure compressor, and the low pressure spool may include a low pressure turbine driving a low pressure compressor.
Turboshaft engines, a type of gas turbine engine typically used on helicopters, generally include a third power turbine spool. The power turbine spool may comprise a power turbine that drives an external load, such as a main rotor of the helicopter. Helicopter flight maneuvers, which involve a change in collective pitch, rapidly change the load or power demand on the power turbine. However, in order to achieve ideal handling qualities for the airframe, a constant rotor speed should ideally be maintained when delivering the requested change in power demand on the power turbine.
Accordingly, there exists a need for an engine control system that matches the change in power demand while maintaining a constant rotor speed. This disclosure is directed to solving this need and others.